Construction firm’s ‘pledge’ to benefit Charlton Hayes community

Our Bristol office has signed a social value pledge that will bring community benefits such as student work placements during its construction of the new £5.3 million Charlton Wood Primary Academy at the old Filton Airfield in Charlton Hayes, Patchway.

Created by our Beard team and South Gloucestershire Council, the pledge sets out key initiatives required by our firm and our subcontractors to support the local community during the project.

Mike Hedges, our Bristol director, explains: “As a family-owned construction firm, we share South Gloucestershire Council’s commitment to adding value to the communities in which we work and on every project our team undertakes we look for opportunities to achieve this. For this scheme, we have been able to take it one step further, creating a pledge which aligns our ideas with the Council’s social value policy, creating a well-rounded list of targets which are most needed by the community.

“The initiatives we have pledged range from donating surplus construction materials to the local community and providing work placements for local construction trainees and trade apprentices, to taking steps to create an energy-efficient, low carbon site.”

Our Bristol team is building eight junior, four infant and two reception classrooms at the school – each equipped with its own cloakroom and storeroom. The team will also create four breakout spaces which will support modern learning, plus a library, kitchen, offices, staffroom and a 242 sq m hall – complete with a stage.

Outside, the new purpose-built school will feature an outdoor timber classroom with a grass mound amphitheatre, and a tepee village outdoor learning area. Our team will also build a 685 sq m paved multi-use court space for netball, tennis and other games, and a 4,030 sq m grass ball sports pitch. The new school has been designed by South Gloucestershire Council and BBA Architects.

Set to open in September 2019, Charlton Wood Primary Academy will initially provide places for 120 students in Reception and Year One. Each year, 60 additional places will be created at the school until pupil intake reaches a maximum capacity of 420 in 2025. The school will be run by Endeavour Academy Trust.

Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, and Cabinet Member with responsibility for schools, Cllr Toby Savage says: “It is our number one priority to deliver first class educational standards in South Gloucestershire and we are committed to maximising the positive social and economic impact that developments such as this new school for Charlton Hayes bring to the area.

“This pledge ensures that the development will not only benefit the children who attend the school, it will bring jobs, offer apprenticeships and present training opportunities, leaving a lasting legacy and delivering a fantastic new school.”

Charlton Wood Primary Academy comes as part of Charlton Hayes, a brand-new extension to Patchway. The mixed-use development will provide around 2,200 homes as well as a hotel and employment opportunities. Charlton Hayes is named after the village of Charlton which was demolished in the 1940s to make way for a runway extension at Filton.

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